Could I thank the editor, Mr Dyson, and all the staff at the Evening Gazette for their effort to make the Steel Summit a success and the continuing fight, with others, to keep the Redcar complex open.

Those who attended heard many questions from the floor and assurances from local MPs on the impact the closure could cause to our local community.

It was reassuring that local councillors of all parties attended the Summit, hopefully working together to prevent the proposed closure. Like most people in the area I would like all elected councillors on Redcar & Cleveland Council to pull together for the good of the area and not see the petty letters of all parties in your paper "point scoring" off one another.

Many major issues in the area need addressing, besides the fight to prevent the proposed closure of the steel works.

The area needs to encourage business into the area (with it jobs), improve shopping centres, invest in affordable housing, prevent anti-social behaviour and, most of all, make local people proud of the area in which they live and work.

My father once told me that any idiot can criticise and often does, but it takes people of intelligence to get off their backsides and do something positive. I believe the Evening Gazette has shown the way, to the point that I heard Corus management are now going to try to answer the questions raised at the Summit.

Thanks for your support from an ex-employee of Corus and an active member of the ISTC.

RAY HENSBY, Marske

* ATTENDANCE at the Steel Summit was disappointing to say the least. Of the 300 or so in attendance I would say around only 150 were Corus employees. How do steelworkers in the region expect support from politicians, union leaders, local councillors and the general public if they will not attend such well-organised and well-publicised events? The fact that a representative from Corus was not present was not an excuse for not attending.

It may be that Corus is already winning the battle to divide its workforce, and employees at plants that are under the illusion that their jobs are safe, felt no need to attend. Do these people and the rest of the workforce that did not attend need to be reminded that their livelihoods, their families' standard of living, and the social structure of the area depend greatly on the survival of the steelworks?

If another summit is to be held, I urge all Corus workers and their families to attend, as well as people from business affected by changes at Corus, and the general public.

Let us show the decision makers that we care about the future of our families and our area, and that we are prepared to fight for this.